Australian dramas frequently explore the theme of vanished children, with a notable focus on the aftermath of disappearances. The latest entry into this genre is "Last Seen," an Australian thriller now available on Apple TV, which critics describe as a masterclass in building eerie tension.
The series, adapted from a novel by Ryan David Jahn originally set in Texas, centers on a police dispatcher who receives an emergency call from a girl he believes to be his daughter, seven years after her disappearance. The Australian adaptation, however, imbues the story with a distinct atmosphere.
The first two hour-long episodes, now streaming, are characterized by a slow build of tension, featuring atmospheric elements such as rolling seas, heavy mists, and sunlight filtering through damp air. Undercurrents of violence are present throughout.
It is not until the conclusion of the second episode that the missing girl, Maggie, makes the emergency call. Despite the father, Ian, last seeing her at age three and her presumed death, he recognizes her name and voice. Ian, portrayed by Patrick Brammall, is an ex-detective who has been struggling with his personal life since Maggie's abduction. He is depicted as divorced, depressed, and battling to maintain sobriety.
Maxine Peake plays the woman who appears to be raising Maggie, alongside her husband, a janitor. Their isolated woodland cottage setting is described as reminiscent of a Brothers Grimm tale, complete with dried herbs and chickens, but also featuring pervasive security cameras.
Australian thrillers have a history of focusing on the impact of child disappearances, referencing past notable works such as "Picnic At Hanging Rock" and "A Cry In The Dark," and more recently, "The Cry."